Church Growth

A census of religious bodies in the United States taken once every ten years that reported a large growth in the Mormon population did so in part because the sect has changed the standard for which it identifies members.

The Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies' report had the population of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 4.2 million in 2000 and 6.1 million in 2010, noting a 45.5 percent increase. However, this dramatic increase is aided by the LDS Church opting to classify as members all who have been baptized in their sect, not just those who are currently belonging to a congregation.

Lyman Kirkland, who serves in the Public Affairs department of the LDS Church, told The Christian Post about the methodology used to count members. more >>

A decennial census of U.S. religions in America was released Tuesday by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB). The results show a dramatic increase in the number of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, and Muslims, a modest increase in the number of evangelical Protestants, and a drop in the number of Catholics and mainline Protestants.

Muslims saw the greatest growth rate among the five main religious groups studied. Their numbers increased by 66.7 percent in the 2010 census from a decade earlier. Latter-day Saints saw the next highest growth at 45.5 percent, followed by evangelical Protestants at only 1.7 percent. The number of Catholics decreased by five percent and the number of mainline Protestants decreased by 12.8 percent.

Notably, when combined, nondenominational and independent churches are now the largest faith group, with over 12 million adherents, according to the report. more >>

Churches willing to overlook traditional scriptural beliefs with regards to homosexuality are experiencing growth in Brazil, according to a new report. However, they are being criticized by evangelical and Catholic Churches in the country as watering down scripture, with one apologist even calling them an "apostasy."

According to the BBC the study reveals that there are at least 10 different congregations that now accept and welcome homosexuality as a normal lifestyle. These churches, combined, have in excess of 10,000 registered attendants in the country, according to the BBC.

The churches are concentrated mainly in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and statistics reveal that they are comprised of mostly homosexuals. The growth of these gay activist churches commenced when some felt the Church's traditional teachings that homosexuality is a sin, was not "inclusive." So they set up churches to cater for those who wish to believe the church should accept homosexuality as a standard acceptable lifestyle. more >>

An evangelical group is promoting "Internet Evangelism Day," a day meant to spread awareness of the value social media and the Internet in advancing the Gospel.

Created by the Internet Evangelism Coalition and sponsored in part by Global Media Outreach, IE Day will be observed this coming Sunday.

"I think the Internet has become absolutely vital for evangelism for a range of reasons," Tony Whittaker, Internet Evangelism Day Coordinator in the United Kingdom, told The Christian Post. He noted that the Internet "is usually the first port of call for any area of information or need." more >>

In his new book, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat argues that orthodox American Christianity has weakened since the 1950s to be replaced by a number of heresies, both conservative and liberal. This "bad religion" has resulted in adverse consequences for American society, politics and culture.

In a Thursday interview with The Christian Post, Douthat talked more about his thesis, responded to some criticisms, and discussed how his diverse Christian upbringing (charismatic, evangelical and Catholic) helped inform the book.

The following is an edited transcript of that conversation: more >>

Megachurch pastor Billy Hybels' first five years of establishing a church in a Chicago suburb was one of the hardest experiences in his life, he told Christian leaders at the Exponential conference.

"I did a lot of scrambling. In the first five years it was like 25, 100-yard dashes a day," Hybels told those attending the second day of the three-day church planting conference at First Baptist Church Orlando.

Hybels, 60, founded Willow Creek Community Church 37 years ago. He led services at Palatine's Willow Creek Theater before the church moved six years later to its current location in South Barrington, Ill. more >>